MASSILLON — From the opening tip, it seemed everything was going McDonald’s way. Two of the Mahoning Valley’s perennial girls basketball powers faced off on the regional stage Thursday at Perry High School. McDonald was on a mission, however, and they advance to the Division IV ...
Oneil Cruz insists he’s a shortstop. One problem: genetics. The Dominican Republic native was 6-foot-1 or so 16-year-old when the Pittsburgh Pirates signed him. The tools — particularly the power and arm strength — were evident. So was the potential. That potential has only grown ...
PITTSBURGH — Ben Roethlisberger is returning for an 18th season with the Pittsburgh Steelers and is taking a pay cut to do it. The team and the two-time Super Bowl winner announced on Thursday they have agreed on a new contract that assures the 39-year-old will be back in 2021. Financial ...
Garfield wrestling coach Dan Andel has been around the sport for about three decades, and he has guided this current group of wrestlers since they were old enough to step foot on the mat. He helped perfect several areas of their technique during that time, but one thing Andel didn’t do was ...
COLUMBUS — No. 7 Ohio State is searching for answers to its perplexing February fade as No. 4 Illinois comes to town for the regular-season finale Saturday ahead of what promises to be an arduous Big Ten tournament. Postseason success in college basketball is all about peaking in March, ...
CUYAHOGA FALLS — The Garfield girls basketball team last reached the regional level of tournament in 2017, so none of the girls on this year’s team had enjoyed the experience previously. Although that most recent experience ended abruptly with a 65-46 loss to the Waynedale Golden Bears on ...
CLEVELAND — The Browns won’t be chasing a quarterback in free agency. They aren’t stressing over which one to take in the NFL draft or looking to make a trade. For once, they appear to be set at QB. Baker Mayfield has brought wins, change and calm to Cleveland. Coming off a solid ...
For the third consecutive season, the girls basketball programs at McDonald and Western Reserve will compete in the postseason. The conference rivals, who share the Blue Devils nickname, will compete for the ninth time in three seasons tonight at 8 in a Division IV regional semifinal at ...
CLEVELAND — Indians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti said Wednesday he couldn’t comment on his previous remarks about Mickey Callaway’s conduct due to Major League Baseball’s ongoing investigation into sexual harassment allegations against the team’s former pitching ...
PYMATUNING VALLEY 41, SOUTH RANGE 40: ANDOVER — Pymatuning Valley made a 36-30 lead through three quarters hold up and advances to a Division III district title game. The Lakers will play at Springfield on Friday night with a berth at the regional on the line. PV trailed by one at halftime ...
CLEVELAND — T.J. McConnell set an NBA record with nine steals in the first half and posted his second career triple-double with 16 points, 13 assists and a franchise-best 10 steals, leading the Indiana Pacers to a 114-111 victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers on Wednesday night. McConnell ...
Steven Brault can exhale — sort of. For the first time in his major league career, the relentlessly upbeat Pittsburgh Pirates lefty is not spending spring training freaking out over whether he’ll have a job at the end of the month. The 28-year-old will be in the starting rotation when the ...
BRISTOLVILLE — Lowellville’s Anthony Lucente pounded his chest and let out a roar as the Rockets came back up court after forcing a Bristol turnover in a Division IV District semifinal. In a game of runs, Lowellville was enjoying its biggest of the game, cutting what was a 13-point ...
CLEVELAND — Responding to claims the team protected Mickey Callaway, Indians manager Terry Francona said no one in the Cleveland organization “covered up” for the former pitching coach who’s under investigation by Major League Baseball following allegations of sexual ...
ROCHESTER, Mich. — Senior forward Naz Bohannon got the first triple-double in Youngstown State men’s basketball history and senior Garrett Covington scored a career-high 30 points, but it wasn’t enough for the Penguins as they fell 87-83 in overtime to Oakland in the Horizon League ...
McDONALD — Right before the biggest shot of the season for the McDonald Blue Devils, coach Jimmy Franceschelli drew up a play with 4.7 seconds left in overtime and told senior guard Eli Street he’s going to make it. The situation was that the Blue Devils trailed the Valley Christian ...
CLEVELAND — Kevin Stefanski’s first season as an NFL head coach was sublime, almost storybook. He ended Cleveland’s long playoff drought, won a postseason game — watching from his basement as he recovered from COVID-19 — and guided his team around endless obstacles in a global ...
NEWTON FALLS — The Newton Falls boys basketball team just needed a little more time in their Division III District semifinal with Waterloo on Tuesday. After trailing for most of the contest, the Tigers had a chance to send it to overtime but fell just short, 54-51. “It was just an ...
Hubbard graduate — and the Eagles’ defensive coordinator for the past five seasons — Sam Bellino is expected to be approved next Monday as the sixth football head coach at Lakeview High School. Bellino will replace Tom Pavlansky who coached the Bulldogs for the past 22 seasons before ...
YOUNGSTOWN — Top of the 3-point arc with 5:04 left in the contest. Cardinal Mooney senior Mike Pelini takes the ball, and fires it as he did all Tuesday evening. Nothing but net. It’s money, and also his 1,000th career point. Needing 35 points going into a district semifinal at home ...